Quick and easy recipe for Snickers salad where apples and candy bars come together for the perfect side dish or dessert in just 10 minutes using only 6 ingredients.
I absolutely love this salad! It can be used as a side dish or a dessert and everyone likes it. I have yet to bring any home from a potluck.
Green or Red Apples
There seem to be at least a dozen apple varieties available in stores these days. Each with its own little apple flavor profile.
My favorite apple for eating out of hand is the Fuji apple. Since this is the apple I am likely to have on hand, at least half of the apples in my salad are Fuji.
I find it best to add at least one or two Granny Smith or other tart apples to the salad. This will help balance out a bit of the sweetness.
How to Keep Cut Apples from Turning Brown
Cut apples, when exposed to air, will start to brown almost immediately.
Usually, when making recipes with cut-up apples I coat the cut apples with lemon juice or diluted vinegar water to prevent browning.
I don’t like to add acid in this recipe so I find the best way to keep the apples from browning is to mix all of the other ingredients in a bowl and add the apples as I cut them and mix well to prevent air from getting to the apples.
How to Prevent Clumps
The best way to make this salad is to mix the pudding and the milk first and whisking to make sure that there are no little pockets of dried pudding mix.
Since it’s instant pudding and we are using less milk than called for on the package, it is going to start setting up pretty quick. Once that happens it will form big globs when you try to add the whipped topping.
Don’t give the pudding time to start setting up, get the whipped topping in there fairly quickly.
If clumps or globs do form, whip the mixture well with the whisk or use a hand mixer to get them out.
Chopping the Candy Bars
You don’t have to freeze or even refrigerate the candy bars.
I think that it is easier to use a sharp knife and cut the candy bars in half and then slice them into small pieces.
The Snickers can be frozen and then shattered into pieces. To do this, unwrap the candy bars first and put them into a plastic bag prior to freezing. Allow the candy to freeze at least 4 hours.
Once the candy is frozen solid, hit them with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. A word of caution, do not do this on granite or other stone surfaces, it could crack.
Cracking the granite in the kitchen might result in an unpleasant conversation with the spouse, at least in this house.
Using Different Kinds of Candy Bars
I have had success with this recipe while using Butterfingers, Baby Ruth, and turtle. Snickers remain my favorite though.
I would not recommend you use anything that will simply melt and disappear like a plain chocolate bar. M & M’s would be a no go for me. The candy coating will dissolve in the salad just like it does on wet hands, leaving you with rainbow streaks.
Can I substitute whipped topping with homemade whipped cream?
Absolutely!
Making homemade whipped cream is actually pretty easy.
You will need 3 cups of heavy whipping cream, 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks start to form. With the beaters running, gradually add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and beat until vanilla is fully incorporated.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Snicker Salad can be made in advance and even the night before it’s needed.
I actually think it tastes better after letting it sit for at least 4 hours. It gives the caramel in the snickers some time to start melding into the rest of the salad.
Storing Leftovers
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4. After 4 days it will start to separate and all of the chocolate and caramel from the candy will have long melted into the pudding and whipped topping.
MORE FRUIT RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
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Snickers Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 5.1- ounce package of vanilla instant pudding
- 1 1/2 cup of milk
- 16 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 6 cups diced apples 3 to 4 large apples
- 6 full-size Snickers bars
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine milk and pudding and stir until well blended.
- Add the thawed whipped topping.
- Peel and core the apples then cut into bite-size piece.
- Add apples to the pudding mixture and stir to completely cover all the apples.
- Slice Snickers into bite-sized pieces.
- Set a handful of Snickers aside. Mix the remaining candy car pieces into the apple salad.
- Cover the apple salad and place into the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Sprinkle remaining Snickers over the salad just before serving.
Notes
- Apple skins can be left on.
- Whipped topping can be substituted with homemade whipped cream.
- Candy bars can be frozen, placed into a plastic bag and shattered with a kitchen mallet.
- Salad may be refrigerated for up to 4 days, it will be edible after that, but the apples will begin to brown and the Snickers pieces will melt.
